Cranberry vine trimmer



F. P. CRANDON ET AL CRANBERRY VINE TRIMNIER n Nov. 3, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 18, 1950 Wl. Nm

ffer y? Nov. 3, 1953 F. P. CRANDON ET AL 2,657,512

CRANBERRY VINE TRIMMER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1950 QN. WANN@ A IzZ/fe 7650715' l'arz'andav Nov. 3, 1953 F. P. cRANDoN ET A1. 2,657,512

CRANBERRY VINE TRIMMER Filed May 18, 195o s sheets-sheet' /j J' Inofzar; l@ l 1 J/rm @andava j Jn? frr 6, @award y; I 5M v Patented Nov. 3, 1953 ULTED STAT s OFFICE CRANBERRY VINE TRIMMER Frank P. Crandon and Herbert C. Leonard, Acushnet, yMass.

Application May 18, 1950, serial No. 162,734

, of satisfactory culture and harvesting, the present invention has for its principal object the provision of apparatus for trimming away excess vine growth. A further object is to provide power l driven trimming means designed t be propelled across the bog and having provision for lifting vand holding the vines into the eld of action of the cutting means. A further object is to provide trimming means having provision for varying the amount of surplus growth which is trimmed off. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View of one of the vine-holding means and the associated cutting means;

Fig. i is a front end elevation showing the vineagitating and lifting means; and

Fig. is a fragmentary, vertical section taken lon the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

The vine trimming means of the present invention is mounted upon a suitable support or lcarriage which may be propelled over the bog. As .here illustrated, the carriage is mounted on wheels, but it is to be understood that any suitable means for supporting the carriage may be adopted, such as is appropriate to the particular bog or mode of cultivating the bog.

As here illustrated byl Way of example, but

without limitation, this carriage or support is formed, in large part at least, of angle-bar stock. A piece of this bar stock forms the rear hori- Zontal rail I of the carriage (Fig. 2), this length of material being benty at the points 2 and 3 and thence extending divergently outward to form the side members Il and 5. These in turn are bent at the points E and i to provide the substantially parallel side rails 8 and 3, respectively. Another length of. angle-bar stock provides the front .rail lll, .this Alenglfl ,Of material being .bent

4 Claims. (C1. sc s) o, a sprocket chain l5 (Fig. 2).

at I I and I2 to provide the parallel side rails I3 and I ii, these side rails being rigidly connected Iat their rear ends to the members 4 and 5, respectively. Other pieces of angle-bar stock or 5 appropriate material are arranged to form the transversely extending rails I5, IS and I'I which 'are rigidlysecured at their ends to the side rails I3 and I l respectively.

Front wheels I8 and I9 are arranged within 10 the spaces 2li and 2| intervening between the rails 8 and I3, and 9 and I4 respectively. These front wheels Ii) and I9 are mounted on shafts which -are aligned with each other and which turn in .bearings carried by the side rails of the frame.

l5IA sprocket wheel 22 is xed to the hub of the wheel I8 and a similar sprocket wheel 23 is xed to the hub of the wheel I3. Preferably the wheels I3 and I9 are of bicycle type, having pneumatic tires, although other forms of wheel may be employed. Wheels of light weight are desirable to .'avoid injury to the cranberry vines.

A bracket 24 is secured to the rear rail I of the .firame and supports a vertical swivel-bearing 25 (Fig. l) for a steering shaft 26. This shaft is 25 forked at its lower end and provided with bear- ,ings for the steering wheel 2B which may be of rthe same general type as the Wheels I8 and I9. iA handle 2Q is xed to the upper end of the shaft 26, by means of which the wheel 28 may be turned 3o. to steer the apparatus in its progress across the bog.

A motor 30 (Fig. 2), preferably an internal 'combustion engine, is mounted upon the forward part of the frame, for example it may be carried by the rails I0 and I5. This motor has a shaft 3| (Fig. 2) carrying a pulley 32 which is embraced by an endless belt 33 (Fig. 1) passing around a pulley 3A on a shaft 35 mounted in suitable bearings carried by the frame. A

40.. sprocket 36 (Fig. 2) is xed to the shaft 35 and Ais embraced by a chain 3'! which engages a f sprocket 3s on a shaft 39 extending transversely j across the machine and turning in elevated bear- .ings 3l supported by the side rails I3 and I4, re-

45. spectively. A gear t@ is xed to the shaft 39 and meshes with a gear 4I carried by a shaft` 42 mounted in elevated bearings supportedv by the .side rail I3. A sprocket wheel isfis mounted 'on one end of the shaft 42 and is embraced by A similar sprocket wheel lill is mounted on the oppositel end of shaft t2 and is embraced by a chain (i6. The chains 45 and d, respectively, engage the sprocket wheels 22 and 23 xed to the supporting and driving wheels I8 and I9.

, VA belt-tightening pulley 4l bears against the lower run of the belt 33, the pulley 4l being carried by a bell-crank lever 48 pivotally mounted on one of the bearings for the shaft 35. This bell-crank lever is connected by a rod e9 to an actuating handle 55 pivoted on a bracket 5l at the rear of the machine. By swinging the handle 5G the pulley il may be pressed against the belt i3 thereby tightening the latter about the pulleys 32 and 35 so that the belt drives the pulley Sil, and through the connections above described, causes the drive wheels i8 and l5 to rotate and progress the apparatus across the bog. The belttightening pulley herein disclosed is merely by way of example of a manually controllableclutch.

A square shaft 52 extends from side to side of the machine, being mounted in bearing plates 5 l (Fig. 3) fastened to the forward side of an angle bar 62 to be described hereinafter, and one vend of this shaft is fastened to the lower end of an arm 53 (Fig. 3). The upper end of the arm 53 has fastened to it a driving rod 53 which extends `rearwardly and is pivotally connected to a disk 55 mounted on a shaft 55 (Fig. l) extending across the machine directly below the shaft 59 and mounted in suitable bearings. One Vof the bearings is carried by the rail i3 and the other is carried by a support 5l fastat its forward and rear ends to the rails i6 and l'i. A vpinion 55 (Fig. l) is fixed to one end of the shaft 55 and meshes with a relatively large spur gear 5l fixed to the shaft 39. Rotation cf the shaft 55 thus normally rotates the shaft 55 at a substantially higher speed. A clutch 59 (Fig. 2) mounted on the shaft 55 is operable by a lever 55 which ei:-A tends upwardly and rearwardly rotatably to oonnect the disk 5d to the shaft 55 and hence to impart rotation thereto. Rotation of the disk imparts oscillation to the rod 5t which in turn imparts oscillation to the square shaft 52.

The shaft 52 effects operation of a series of cutters for trimming the vines. Each of these cutters (Fig. 3) comprises fixed and movable blades carried by a transverse angle bar 52 fastened to the forward end of a pair of forwardly extending spaced arms 63, the rear ends of which are pivotally supported on the shaft 55. The cutters are distributed along the angle bar V62 and are attached thereto by brackets fastened to the forward face of the angle bar. As here illustrated there are eight of these cutters spaced equally, longitudinally of the bar. Obviously a greater or lesser number of cutters may be used as desired. One of the blades (Fig. 3) has pointed teeth 'Sil and is fixed to its bracket while the other has blunt teeth 55 and is slidable with respect to the fixed blade. The blades are held in contact by suitable retainer plates 66 overlying them which are in the form of guards housing the rear parts of the cutter blades. Movement of each movable blade is effected by an arm 68 one end of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of the blade and the other end of which is fixed on the square shaft 52 so thatoscillation of the shaft 52 reciprocates the movable blade. As mounted, the toothed edges of the cutters face forwardly and are inclined forwardlyand downwardly. At the lower end of the guard 66 for each cutter is a forwardly projecting prong (il which is arranged to supp-ort and hold the vines elevated in contact with the cutting edges of the cutters.

The cutters and vine-supporting prongs 6l are arranged to be elevated or lowered and to this end there is attached to the angle bar 62,4substantially at the mid portion thereof,A an upright lteethby means vofa controlling handle 18.

-by a chain e3.

yabout the sprockets.

dog l5 (Fig. 2) engageable with the retaining teeth 4cna .fixed segment 'It' carried by the bar, the dog being disengageable from the retaining When the `dog is disengaged from the teeth the handle .ld may be swung, thus elevating or lowering the cutters and hence controlling the trimming so that Fthe vines may be cut to any desired length.

Brackets 82 extend forwardly from the transverse bar -l5 and support vine-agitating means, indicated generally at 8f4. A shaft 83 extends transversely of the machine and is journaled near its ends in the brackets 52. Pivotally vmounted upon the shaft 5S is a lpair of spaced forwardly projecting arms 55. Angles Bl are fixed to forward ends of the arms 55 and there is fastened `to Ithe angles, in an inverted position, a |ll-shaped channel beam y88 (Fig. 5) having spaced parallel front and -rear walls and 55. Between the walls 89 and 9c `there is mounted a pair of sprockets 5l and 9-2 which are embraced The sprocket el is mounted on a short shaft vjournaled between suitable bearings @d fastened to the outer sides of the walls of 'the channel beam and the sprocket 92 is fixed to a'shaft 95 entering the rear wall 9c and extending into a bearing fixed to the outside of the opposite wall. Rotations of the shaft 95 will effect movement of the chain continuously Upon the chain 53 there is fastened a number of vine-agitating and lifting arms 91. Each arml is fixed to one leg of an angle' 98 pivoted at a corner between a pair of Ylugs it@ fastened to a chain. Rollers lill and IGZ are mounted onthe ends of the legs of angles "98. Extending along the lower run of the chain there are angle bars |53 .and lll@ nxed to the walls `6i) and 95 having inwardly projecting vertically `spaced -flanges 05 and itt, spaced sufliciently to receive them `between the rollers lill and |52 so as to hold the fingers 91 during their movement inclined forwardly and downwardly .in their direction of movement as shown in `Fig. 4. As the fingers 91 travel across the machine they lift, straighten and comb the vines so that they occupy better positions for engagement with the cutters. As each nger reaches the right-hand end of its combing stroke it rises about the sprocket 9i and returns along the upper run of the chain to the left end of the machine. To tip the fingers so that they will enter beneath the top of the channel 88 a yieldable guide plate le? is fastened to the top for intercepting the Alinger as it moves upwardly. Near the left end of the channel the top is out and bent upwardly atan angle as shown at |08 to permit the finger to begin to rise as it begins to move about the left-hand sprocket 92, so that it may tip over into the position shown at the bottom. In fact to insure proper tipping a cam plate or track lli! (Fig. 4) is arranged at this'endof the chain with which the roller H32 will have contact so as to tip the angle about its pivot.

Rotation of the shaft 55 to drive the chain 93 is effected by way of meshing gears fixed to the rear end of the shaft 95 and one end of the shaft 83, the gears being concealed by appropriate covers H8 (Fig. 2). The shaft 83 has fixed to it a sprocket I I9, rotation of which is effected by a chain |20 embracing it and a sprocket I2I secured to the motor shaft 32.

It is desirable to adjust the height of the agitator 84 with reference to the ground, hence there is fastened to the top of the channel 88, substantially at the mid-point thereof, a bail III to which one end of the flexible cable H2 is attached. The cable H2 runs upwardly over a pulley H3 (Fig. 1), mounted on an upwardly inclined extension of the bar 12, and then rear- Wardly to an operating handle H4. The handle H4 is pivoted at its lower end to the bracket 5I and has a pivoted dog H5 engageable with retaining teeth on a fixed segment H6 carried by the bracket, the dog being disengageable from the retaining teeth by means of a controlling handle H1. When the dog is disengaged from the teeth, the handle I ill may be swung, thus to elevate or lower the agitator and hence to control the depth of penetration of the agitator fingers into the vines.

In Operation, as the machine is progressed by the motor and drive wheels across the bog, the agitating means stirs up the vines so as to loosen them and to draw them into generally parallel relation transversely so that when the vines are engaged by the cutters they lie nearly at right angles to the teeth. The agitators also lift the vines upwardly onto the supporting prongs which hold them in the eld of action of the cutting means. The traverse of the machine across the bog is controlled by the handle 5I), while the cperation of the cutting means is controlled by the clutch handle 6I). The height of the prongs 6l from the ground is regulated by moving the handle 'I4 and of the agitator by moving the handle I I 4. Thus, the various functions of the machine are controlled from the rear of the machine where the controlling elements are easily accessible to the operator.

While one desirable embodiment of the ini vention has been illustrated and described by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for trimming cranberry vines comprising in combination a support designed to be propelled over the cranberry bog, vine-cutting means mounted on the support, a motor, means operably connecting the motor to the vine-cutting means for effecting actuation of the same, means associated with the cutting means for holding the vines in the field of operation of the cutting means, a plurality of rods mounted on the support forwardly of the cutting means for engagement with the vines prior to contact of the cutter therewith and means for imparting continuous movement to the rods to cause them to traverse the frame successively for combing the vines laterally to lay them crosswise of the cutting means.

2. In an apparatus according to claim 1, a horizontal support mounted on the frame forwardly of the cutting means and extending transversely thereof, and a plurality of equally spaced fingers arranged to travel along the lower side of the support in one direction, and along the top side of the support in the opposite direction, said fingers being inclined downwardly and laterally in the direction of travel in a vertical plane.

3. In an apparatus according to claim l a horizontal support mounted on the frame so as to extend transversely of the machine forwardly of the cutting means, means pivotally supporting the horizontal support for movement about a horizontal axis, and means for lifting and lowering the support to adjust the heightwise position of the rods with reference to the ground.

4. In an apparatus according to claim 1 a horizontally arranged beam mounted on the frame forwardly of the -cutters so as to extend transversely thereof, endless chains mounted on the beam for movement transversely of the machine, means for driving the chain continuously, a plurality of rods pivotally attached to the chain at spaced intervals for movement therewith in a closed path, means on the beam to hold the rods as they travel along the lower run of the chain inclined downwardly in the direction of movement of the chain as it travels across the machine in one direction and guide means for holding the rods nearly parallel to the upper run of the chain during return movement of the rods in the opposite direction.

FRANK P. CRANDON. HERBERT C. LEONARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 314,979 Rufus Mar. 31, 1885 989,224 Barnes Apr. 11, 1911 1,629,831 Maglathlin May 24, 1927 2,240,066 Bingham Apr. 29, 1941 

